‘Counting On’: The 10 Biggest Scandals That Have Rocked the Duggar Family
Counting On stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are no strangers to scandals. The couple, who rose to fame on TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, has faced plenty of controversies through the years, yet they always manage to come out on top. From molestation investigations to major feuds, here are 10 of the biggest scandals that have rocked the Duggar family.
10. Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar use donated money for vacation
Back in 2015, Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, asked their followers on social media to help pay for their mission trip to El Salvador. The couple raised enough money to go, but they ended up returning home on two separate occasions for weddings.
Fans immediately slammed the pair for using money to fund their travels and speculated that their trip was more akin to a vacation than anything else.
9. Jeremy Vuolo doesn’t want ‘temptation’
The Duggars are known for their strict rules, but Jinger Duggar’s husband, Jeremy Vuolo, might take the cake on this one.
The Counting On star confessed that he does not use the internet on his cell phone because he wants to avoid all “temptation.” The only apps he has on his phone are a chess game and an MLS soccer app.
“I don’t want all that temptation in my hand. I want to maintain purity in my thoughts and in my eyes. It’s an accountability measure,” Jeremy shared.
8. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar use rods to spank children
Speaking of strict rules, Jim Bob and Michelle came under fire in 2015 after it was revealed that they discipline their children by spanking them. One report claimed that they have even used a “rod,” though they are careful not to spank them too hard.
During an episode of 19 Kids and Counting in 2010, Michelle opened up about using positive reinforcement on her kiddos. She did not say anything about the spanking reports, saying that they praise their children for “good character, for Godly character.”
7. Jim Bob and Michelle refuse to help a single mom
When it comes to Counting On scandals, 2015 may have been the worst year for the Duggars. That year, Jim Bob reportedly told Jill , a licensed midwife, that she could not help a single mom give birth.
Jim Bob apparently did not want Jill to help the unwed mother because it went against the family’s Christian beliefs. Needless to say, fans were not happy about what happened.
6. The Duggars stage a charity engagement
In 2015, the Duggars announced that they were going to hand out food to families at a store in Springdale, Arkansas called Compassion Center. But when nobody showed up to receive food, Counting On producers allegedly asked onlookers if they would act as if they needed a handout.
“Let’s go over this … you’re really happy that the Duggars have brought you this food, you really need this for your family,” one witness claimed.
The cameras filmed the Duggars handing out several packages. Once producers were satisfied with the footage, the Duggars allegedly took back the food.
5. Joy-Anna Duggar’s shotgun wedding rumors
Counting On star Joy-Anna took a lot of heat after tying the knot with Austin Forsyth. Three months after the wedding Joy-Anna revealed that she was expecting her first child. The only problem is that fans thought she looked further along than three months.
To make things even more suspicious, Joy-Anna had moved up her wedding date by five months. This led some fans to speculate that Joy-Anna actually got pregnant out of wedlock.
4. Derick Dillard gets fired from ‘Counting On’
Aside from Josh Duggar, Derick might be the most controversial member of the Duggar clan. Jill’s husband got himself fired from Counting On in 2017 after he made some questionable comments about the transgender community on social media.
TLC issued a statement following Derick’s comments, assuring fans that his viewpoints do not reflect how the network feels about the LGBTQ+ community.
3. Derick’s feud with Jim Bob
Speaking of Derick, his ongoing feud with Jim Bob has really heated up in recent months. Derick has logged several accusations against Jim Bob on social media, including the claim that he is exploiting his children by taking the majority of the money from TLC.
Derick also revealed that he is working on a tell-all memoir about his struggles with the Duggars, something that could reveal the family’s dirtiest secrets.
2. Josh Duggar’s cheating scandal
In the summer of 2015, Josh’s public image took another major hit when his name popped up in the Ashley Madison leak. The Counting On star was using the website to cheat on his wife, Anna Duggar.
A year later, Josh found himself in the hot seat once again after a porn star named Danica Dillon sued him for forcing her to perform sexual acts. Josh denied the claims and the case was eventually dropped.
1. Josh Duggar’s molestation scandal
By far the biggest scandal to hit the Duggar family was Josh’s molestation scandal in 2015. At the time, a police report surfaced that revealed Josh had molested five underage girls in 2003. Two of Josh’s victims were his sisters.
The scandal publicly disgraced Josh and led to the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting. Josh has not recovered from the scandal and has not appeared on new episodes of Counting On.
